A Close Shave
by Transformers 0
Summary: Here's another adaptation that was also requested by tate310! It's also an adaptation of my favorite episode from the second season!
1. Back Engine

**Here's another adaptation requested by tate310!**

 **It's also an adaptation of my favorite episode of the second season!**

* * *

 **A Close Shave**

 **Back Engine**

Duck the Great Western Engine puffed sadly into Edward's Station.

"It's not fair!" he groaned in protest to the older engine, "Diesel has been framing me! And has made the Fat Controller and all the engines think I'm horrid!"

Edward smiled. "I know you aren't," he puffed compassionately, "And so does Sir Topham Hatt. You wait and see. Why don't you help me with these trucks in the meantime?"

With that, Edward puffed into the station shunting yards. Duck, now brightening up a little, trundled not too far behind. They arranged the tantrum-throwing trucks in a long, single row of 20. The goods train was of a mixed sort, with heavy hulking vans at the front, a few tankers sparsely placed in the middle, and the rest of the trail being composed of irritable, temperamental wagons.

Edward shunted the brakevan, a rather spiteful one, onto the last truck. Then he reversed over the points and made his way around to the front of the cavalcade. "Ready when you are!" he called cheerfully to Duck, who was reversing bunker-first onto the rear of the train. That way, when he was finished with his back engine duties, he could simply roll away in the forwards direction.

Duck felt his rear buffers connect with the brakevan, who grumbled in protest. Duck whistled in reply, "So am I!"

Edward whistled once more before setting off, leading the cavalcade out of Wellsworth and onto the Main Line.

They whistled to waving children as they passed the Suddery Crossing. Then, with fires burning fiercely, they charged at Gordon's Hill. The trucks were silly, heavy and noisy. Duck and Edward forced the foolish freight cars to physically cooperate. Both engines had to work hard, pushing and pulling all afternoon. At last they reached the top of the hill.

"Peep peep! Goodbye!" whistled Duck as his fireman uncoupled him. Edward had stopped just beyond the top of the hill, with the 20 trucks trailing behind him. Duck made his way down the curving tracks of the hill. Edward started to roll forward, when… CRACK!

The trucks guffawed with glee. "Oh no!" cried Edward. His driver shut off steam and applied the brakes, but they weren't able to stop until they made it down the other side, due to the gradient.

Edward blasted his whistle with all he was worth, though Duck never heard it.

Fortunately, the guard in the brakevan did.

The guard stumbled out of his cabin as the brakevan rocked with ever-increasing speed. Still dazed, he pulled his whistle to his mouth and blasted away as he groped around for the brake handle.

The Spiteful Brakevan felt his operator struggle to reach for the lever. "Guard on board!" he called to the trucks, "Knock him out!"

The trucks banged their buffers violently, and the guard was thrown clear into some bushes. He forced himself to his legs though, and sprinted after the runaway train. "I must warn them. I must," he thought desperately. He kept running and blowing his whistle in an attempt to warn the back engine of the incoming danger, but inevitably the trucks disappeared from his sight at the bottom of the hill.

The chase was on.


	2. The Chase

**The Chase**

Duck hummed a cute little tune as he rolled under the arched bridge at the bottom of Gordon's Hill.

Suddenly, a howling metallic shriek pierced the air.

"Huh," murmured Duck, "That sounds like a guard's whistle. But we haven't a guard."

Then, he heard a rumble behind him that shook the rails and magnified in volume. The sneering voices gave away the quickly approaching doom. "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah! We've broken away! We've broken away! Chase him! Bump him! Throw him off the rails!"

"Hurry, Duck! Hurry!" said the driver. He pushed the throttle to the limit.

Duck didn't need to be told twice. His siderods clattered as she spun his wheels faster than he had ever done before. They raced through Wellsworth Station, whistling frantically to clear the line ahead. Porters and shunters leapt off the tracks. Passengers on the platform screamed.

But Duck and his crew couldn't worry about them now. The trucks were gaining in speed and were catching up fast.

"What do we do?" the fireman asked the driver urgently.

The driver looked grim.

"As fast as we can! Then they'll catch us gradually!"

As they raced by Suddery Castle, the trucks caught up to them with a jarring, fearful bump.

"Ooh!" Duck groaned as the full force of the 20 trucks pushed him past his top speed, "I'll never be the same again!"

They burst out of Henry's Forest and onto the Big Dipper Viaduct. The driver was now gaining control. "A few more clear miles and we'll do it!"

Crosby Station appeared in the horizon, and as they drew nearer Duck whistled in despair. His crew gasped in horror.

"Oh glory, look at that!" cried the driver. James was just pulling out with the Express on the line ahead. Any minute there could be a crash!

The driver shut off all forward steam and applied full reverse.

"It's up to you now, Duck!" he solemnly called to his engine.

Duck put every ounce of weight and steam against the trucks. They felt his strength.

"On! On! On!" they bellowed, pushing _even_ harder.

Duck returned his gaze ahead. James' last coach cleared the platform. But they were entering the station by now.

"It's too late!" Duck groaned. James whistled in alarm, and people on the platform yelled out.

Duck screamed, shut his eyes, and waited for the crash.

But it never came.

With his eyes still screwed shut, the tank engine felt a sudden swerve beneath his wheels as he veered off to temporary respite in the darkness.

Duck still didn't dare to open his eyes, so only his crew could see that they were careering down a dead end siding straight towards a barber's shop.

The crew jumped clear just in time.

There was a sliding, shrieking CRASH!

And everything slipped away into warm, merciful blackness.


	3. The Bloody Barber

**I've added a nod (or two… or more) to WTLNetwork in this chapter.**

* * *

 **The Bloody Barber**

Duck awoke to find himself staring at the back of a man wearing a white apron, who was busy shaving a rich-looking gentlemen.

The gentleman fidgeted nervously with his hands at the sudden collision, though the barber managed to placate him.

"Fret not good sir. It is merely an engine."

Duck felt sheepish for breaking and entering.

"Beg pardon sir," he began bashfully, "Please excuse my intrusion."

At this, the barber turned on his heel furiously.

"NO!" he replied with his face red, "You frightened my customers! I'll teach you!"

And he came and lathered Duck's face all over with shaving cream!

Poor Duck!

* * *

Thomas and Percy soon arrived with the Breakdown Train.

"Thomas, you help clear away the trucks. I'll bring Sir Topham Hatt to the scene of the accident," said Percy as he was uncoupled from the train. He reversed into a siding that was right next to the ruined building.

"Copy that," the blue tank engine replied.

As Percy parked himself, the Fat Controller dismounted and strode over to the wreckage of the barber shop.

"Ah, I see that there has been a major infringement upon your property, sire," the controller said to the barber, who nodded his head furiously.

"Yes! I do not like engines popping through my walls!"

"I appreciate your concerns," responded Hatt, "But you must know that this engine here has just prevented a _serious_ loss of life. If I may say, it was a very close shave for you all."

"Oh…" said the barber.

"Oh," said the barber.

"Oh!" said the barber.

"OH!" said the barber, "Excuse me!"

He used hot water to wash Duck's face, which was slightly bruised a bit.

"I'm sorry," apologized the barber, "I didn't know you were being a brave engine."

"It's alright sir," replied Duck modestly, "I didn't know that either."

"You were indeed a hero. I'm proud of you Duck," beamed the Fat Controller.

The people stepped out of the wreck to watch the rescue operation.

As Thomas pulled Duck free of the debris, the Fat Controller stepped forward with more news.

"When you are properly washed and mended, you are coming home to the sheds."

"But sir, they don't like me anymore. They like Diesel better," Duck responded sadly.

"Not anymore," the Fat Controller smiled with a wink, "After you left, he started telling lies about Henry. So I've sent him packing. The engines are sorry and want you back."

"That _is_ great news sir!" wheeshed Duck happily.

* * *

Duck's few days at the Steamworks went by quickly. Victor and Kevin took very good care of him indeed.

When he returned to the Engines' Home of Tidmouth, there was a very warm and rousing welcome, just for him.

Duck, the Great Western Engine.

* * *

 **But alas, this is not the end.**

 **It is merely the conclusion of the main story.**

 **There shall be an epilogue!**


	4. We Are Friends Forever

**We Are Friends Forever**

"Duck, you awake?" Gordon whispered in the ebony blanket of the night.

"Still am, buddy."

"Good," spoke up James, "The three of us want to give you…"

"Our most sincere apologies," finished Henry.

"We were disgraceful, disgusting, and despicable when we chose Diesel's side over yours without justification," wheeshed Gordon remorsefully.

"Can you ever forgive us?" queried James, faltering a bit.

"My fellow steam engine brethren," began Duck, "I'll let you know that I wasn't completely in the right either, annoying all of you with my quacking about the Great Western Way. This experience has taught me that we are all part of a cohesive and competent unit. We are a super team. A family. So yes, all is forgiven. But can you forgive me too?"

"Of course!" whooshed Henry.

"Three cheers for reunification and family!" chugged Percy.

"Three _quiet_ cheers, to be exact," whispered Edward with a wink.

"Hip! Hip!" whistled Thomas.

"Hooray!" cried the engines.

"Hip! Hip!"

"Hooray!"

"Hip! Hip!"

"Hooray!"

"Silence," chuckled Edward.

Well, some engine had to be the boss.

* * *

 **THE END**


End file.
